The fallen
former Bishop of Ruwenzori diocese Eustace Kamanyire Amooti was a parent and a
selfless man of God.
According
to the Bishop of the South Rwenzori diocese in Kasese Jackson Thembo
Nzerebende, the demise of Kamanyire poses a great loss of role model to most of
the priests in Kasese especially those who served under him as a Bishop.
Retired Bishop Kamanyire passed on
last week succumbing to a stroke that had kept him bedridden since the start of
October.
Bishop Nzerebende remembers,
Kamanyire as a man who first worked in Kasese as an employee in the fish
processing industry at Katwe-Kabatoro town council and as a Kilembe Mines lay
leader before raising to become a priest and later on a bishop.
He ordained Bishop Nzerebende a
deacon in November 1983 before the creation of the South Rwenzori diocese. He
knows him as a man who was never concerned with the tribal differences between
the Bakonzo and Batooro because he adopted a Mukonzo boy then by the names of
Alfred Sibende who later became a priest.
He also
remembers the late Bishop Kamanyire for leading him in a retreat towards his consecration
as Bishop in 2004 when he advised him that a church leader preaches the gospel
as it is so that many people come to God.
It is
remembered that during his pastoral visits to confirm Christians in Kasese
area, Bishop Kamanyire and his late wife Irene Kamanyire encountered a strange
situation when they laid for them a bed made of dry banana leaves. Those close
to him say, such memories kept on his mind as he used to lament.
Other memories
are about Bishop Kamanyire being part of the team of religious leaders who
welcomed the Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere Iremangoma at Nsenyi when he
denounced fighting using arms and slopped down in 1982.
One of the
first deacons to be ordained by Bishop Kamanyire in 1981 is the sub-dean of the
St. Pauls Cathedral in Kasese, Rev. Can. Cornelius Maate who describes the
deceased as a strong man who could not be intimidated by any situation. He remembers
when there emerged a remolding committee that wanted to over throw the bishop in
disguise of making changes in the diocese but the late Kamanyire persisted and
carried on the work of God.
Jackson
Buseku, a Christian who was confirmed by Bishop Kamanyire in 1982 says that he
was a respected man who was feared by everyone whenever he could give the confirmation
exam. He says Bishop Kamanyire was a good preacher.
Bishop Kamanyire’s remains will be laid to rest
this afternoon in Fort Portal town where Bishop Nzerebende is to represent the Archbishop
of Uganda Stanley Ntangali who is out of the country.
